Christmas may seem like a while away, but retailers are already releasing advent calendars.
Ahead of the festive period, many snap up the Yuletide countdowns to help get into the spirit. And it doesn’t just have to be chocolate behind the doors, either.
Companies seem to be getting increasingly inventive with what they put inside Christmas advent calendars. We’ve seen everything from beauty items to alcohol and even cheese.
And now, Holland and Barrett has thrown its hat into the ring. When I spotted an advent calendar selling there for £45, I was pretty intrigued.
People have taken to social media to say it was their “favourite” advent calendar each year and specifically praising this year’s offering, saying it looked ” even better” than the 2023 version. So I wanted to see if H&B could live up to the hype.
The product has been branded as a “clean beauty” advent calendar by social media users thanks to the fact that all the products inside are vegan, so I was curious about what was inside.
The Holland & Barrett website reads: “Worth over £200 in total, all products within the advent calendar are vegan and include ‘me-time’ relaxation must-haves, such as sumptuous oils, fragrant bath salts and nourishing creams.”
So, what’s actually inside? The Beauty Advent Calendar contains:
- So Eco Scalp Massage Brush – Full Size
- Salt of the Earth Lavender Vanilla Spray 100ml – Full Size
- Tisserand Restore Balance Roller Ball 10ml (Without Box) – Full Size
- Dr Organic Ageless Eye Contour Serum 15ml – Full Size
- Q+A Ceramide Body Lotion 50ml
- Super Facialist Vitamin C+ Brighten Skin Renew Cleansing Oil 100ml
- Gallinée Face Vinegar 50ml
- Evolve Multi-Peptide 360 Anti-Aging Cream 30ml
- Balmonds Super 7 Serum 30ml – Full Size
- Vitaskin Vitamin A Night Cream 60ml – Full Size
- Trilogy Rosehip Oil 5ml
- Faith in Nature Lavender and Geranium Shampoo Mini 100ml
- Faith in Nature Lavender and Geranium Conditioner Mini 100ml
- Dr Paw Paw Lip and Eye Balm 8ml – Full Size
- Faith in Nature Mint Body Wash 400ml – Full Size
- Ecodenta Black Cinnamon Toothpaste 100ml – Full Size
- So Eco Wrist Wash Bands – Full Size
- Magnitone Wipeout Swipes (2 pack)
- Sukin Scalp Scrub 200ml – Full Size
- Weleda Skin Food Cleansing Balm 75ml – Full Size
- Miaroma Lavender Candle 50g
- Ethique Body Care Discovery Set 45g – Full Size
- Holland Barrett Biotin 120 Tablets 300ug – Full Size
- Disciple Dreamy Skin Retinyl Oil 20ml – Full Size
- Wild Cotton and Sea Salt Soap 100g – Full Size
- Sea Magik Dead Sea Sap Salts 250g OR Sea Magik Himalayan Spa Salts 250g OR Sea Magik Magnesium Flakes 250g
With all that being said, there’s no denying the advent calendar is worth its £45 price tag. I was astounded by how good value it was – especially as there were plenty of full sized products.
I was particularly impressed by the eye cream from the calendar, the scent of the fresh cotton and sea salt soap, and let’s be honest, everybody loves a little candle you can pop on your desk to fill the room with dreamy aromas.
The only catch? In my opinion, the actual December 25 gift didn’t blow me away. While other advent calendars go all out for the final reveal, this one made me feel a little disappointed. A 5ml rosehip oil just didn’t feel in keeping with the generosity of the rest of the product.
It’s nothing I’d lose sleep over, though. Overall, I’d highly recommend this advent calendar. It gives you the opportunity to try some vegan products you may not have slathered on before.
If there’s something you’re not keen on, there’s no stress. There’s so much on offer that I imagine people will decide to gift some off the items to their loved ones during the festive season.